The Conservative manifesto - The Best Future for Britain - saw the Tories stick to their traditional issues, promising tax cuts where possible and pushing further ahead with their programme of privatisations. Coal and rail were next on the list.

The theme of spreading opportunity and choice, as well as rolling back the state, ran throughout the manifesto, marking the continuity between the Thatcher and Major governments.

But Labour's 1992 manifesto presented a very different prospect to that of 1987.

A commitment to pumping money into the ailing National Health Service was there, alongside promises to raise child benefit and pensions - and the top rate of income tax.

However, several significant strides had been made taking the party closer to the political centre. Labour's backing for unilateral nuclear disarmament had been dropped. In its place was a pledge to work with other countries to eliminate nuclear weapons.

Neither was there any talk of re-nationalising what the Tories had sold off, nor of a repeal of the Tory laws passed to reduce the power of the trade unions.

Fighting their first election, the Liberal Democrats did much to give themselves a politically vital unique selling point apart from the issue of proportional representation - a marginal concern to most voters.

By choosing education and a pledge to use a 1p rise in income tax to fund investment in schools the Lib Dems gave those so inclined a clear reason to vote for them.